Darkness Consumes Me
by babyfireflies
Summary: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Johnny loses his sight after a run in with Doom. Can the team help him get his sight back? Will he live long enough to find out? Johnny/Alicia Ben/Alicia Sue/Johnny R
1. It Begins

**Darkness Consumes Me**

**Disclaimer: **Obviously I don't own anything about the Fantastic Four, aside from this plot.

**A/N: **Okay, I had this idea and had to get it out of my head. I have every intention of finishing Alternative. This is just a side project. I'm not even sure if I'll write another chapter of just leave this as a one shot or whatever. Let me know what you think. This fic will mostly be about Johnny, with some Ben and Alicia in there, though not necessarily together and of course Sue and Reed. But uh, yeah, let me know what you guys think. So **Read&Review :)**

There are millions of things in this world that people take for granted. Every day, millions of people go through their day without being grateful that they have what others don't have. Johnny storm always knew he was blessed. Sure, he had his problems. His mother had died when he was young and his father had gone to prison. His life was a tale of broken hearts and broken bones, but he always had a roof over his head, clothes on his back, and food in his stomach. Not to mention, just as life really started for Johnny, he became a superhero, the exact existence that millions of kids and adults dreamt of every day. The Human Torch. He had a pretty good life. With the exception of his parents, he had never _really _suffered.

Until now.

It had been a routine fire. Nothing to sweat over. The Fantastic Four rushed to the scene to once again save the day. Nothing out of the ordinary.. or so they thought. Johnny had just reached the top floor to save the old woman who was trapped. He flew through her window and immediately reached for her. When the woman turned around, it had been Doom. Johnny, completely surprised by this, didn't move a muscle. He stared. His bright blue eyes stared at the metal man with such shock that it paralyzed him. By the time his mind had wrapped around the reality that Doom was here, it was too late. The lightning bolt had been so strong and forceful that it sent him flying right back into the wall. Johnny looked up, trying to keep the pain pushed away. When his eyes did meet Doom, they only caught light. Doom radiated light so bright it made the whole room turn white. The lightning flew out of Doom from all over, the bright light and bolts attacking Johnny, surrendering him unconscious.

Johnny wasn't sure what happened after that. Next thing he knew he was waking up in the Baxter building, but there was one major problem.

He couldn't see.

That was the moment in Johnny's life that changed him forever. The day he went blind.


	2. It's Okay to Break

**Darkness Consumes Me**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, don't own anything!

**A/N: **Thanks for all the reviews! :) I love them! penny3 - Don't worry, I'm not breaking up Ben/Alicia, just playing with them a bit. Shoutout to tally82 who is awesome!

There was always something about watching people that calmed Sue's nerves. Whenever life was throwing her a hardball, she would go to a small cafe and watch all the people pass by on the streets. She would come up with stories for them. The girl in the green coat with the black umbrella, she's a super model who just lost the love of her life. The man dressed in his suit and clutching his Starbucks coffee, he's a family man working to put his daughter through college. The woman dressed in rags, sitting on the corner with a can asking for change, she had once been a scientist who turned the wrong way and lost her job, thus making her homeless. They were just make believe stories and Sue was sure they held no relevance to the actual lives these people lead. It was just a way of taking her mind of her own problems. When she and Johnny were kids and life was getting them down, she would take him to get some pizza and they would watch all the people walk by and make up stories of their own. They were always glamorous, like movie stars and singers. They would come up with the craziest scenarios with circuses and spies and whatever popped into their child like imaginations. They would sit there and laugh for hours. By the time they returned home, their problems were nearly forgotten. This time, though, Sue is sure a pizza pie and watching strangers won't cure their current problem.

Their current problem is what led her here, outside on the balcony looking down at the sorry strangers who passed. The day was cold with fresh new winter air and the rain fell like her own tears had, cold and unrelenting. Sue watched as the people scrambled to get out of the rain, clutching their umbrellas for dear life. She closed her eyes, took a breath, and started to imagine. That woman in red, frowning and yelling into her cell phone. She's a make up artist dealing with very picky clients.. and she can see. That man holding onto his suitcase, holding a newspaper in his hand as he jogs towards a cab, he's an insurance seller.. and he can see. They can all see. Every last one of them could look at the beautiful world around them and her brother could not. Damn them. Damn all of them.

The sliding glass door creaked as it slid open. She didn't even have to look to know who it is. "No, I'm not okay," she said before he could even ask the all to familiar question. Reed meant well, he always did, but he didn't understand. Reed would make this about her and this isn't about her. No, this is about Johnny. "How is he?" she asked, still not turning to look at him. She kept leaning over the balcony, her hair wet by now. She didn't care. She kept her eyes on the civilians on the streets. They were laughing, hugging, holding hands, smiling. How could their lives go on today when hers came to a shaky stop?

"He's sleeping. Ben and I moved him to his room. We thought he would feel more comfortable there."

Sue nodded in her own silent approval. Her dark blue eyes lift from the streets and now stared forward at the clash of buildings in front of them. It was awhile before they spoke again. Sue had to admit that Reed's presence lingering behind her did help her breathe a little. "I have to be strong for him," she broke the silence, a tear sliding down her face. "I have to."

And she will be. See, before there was Reed Richards. Before there was the Fantastic Four. Before there was any of this, there was little Susie and Johnny Storm. Two kids whose lives weren't perfect and all they had was each other. Sue looked after Johnny and Johnny in his own way looked after her. They were their own team. They were family. The Fantastic Four may be a family, but Sue and Johnny are blood. That's something that will never change. So when Johnny opened his eyes and he couldn't see, Sue felt her own sight being taken away. Although she married Reed, she was still all Johnny has and she intends to make sure he's taken care of.

Sue's thoughts came to a screeching halt when she felt hands run down her shoulders to her arms. Reed's warm breath ticked over her neck. "We will all be strong for him," he whispered into her ear, his long arms sliding around her waist to hold her close. Sue welcomed the warmth and security he radiated and leaned back into him. The moment would have been perfect. "We will all be strong for you too," Reed finished, pressing a kiss on her neck.

They stood like that for close to an hour, before Ben arrived. "Hey, uh, Susie. Uh, the kid's awake," for a man made of stone, his nerves were all over. This shouldn't have happened and no matter how many scenarios he went over in his head, he couldn't figure out how Doom got them. No, how Doom got Johnny. He stepped aside as Sue walked back into the house. His eyes met Reed's. "How she doin'?"

Reed simply shrugged in reply. "As good as I could have expected, I guess. You know how she is when something happens to Johnny. She always blames herself," his voice held its own lace of guilt. "The sooner I figure out how to reverse this, the better Johnny, Sue, and the rest of us will be. I just hope..." the words went unspoken. There was really no reason to say them. They all feared the same. What if Johnny wasn't ever going to see again?

--------------------

Sue made a quick stop at the bathroom and brushed her damp hair. She wasn't stalling, or that's at least what she keeps telling herself. After her hair was combed and up in a ponytail, and she had changed into dry clothes, she was ready. Ready might be the wrong word, but it was time.

The door was silent as it opened. Sue was cautious, taking a peek in, and really wished she hadn't. The room was dark with the exception of the small lights coming from the windows. The only sound in the room was the rain pelting against his windows. There he was, in the middle of it all, sitting on the edge of his bed, staring forward. Sue took a small breath for support before stepping inside. His head jerked towards the door and his eyes looked all over, as if he could actually see.

"It's me," Sue said in a small supportive tone. The frantic eyes came to a stop, staring at her now. His eyes pierced right through her. She closed the distance between them and took a seat on the bed beside him. She looked forward for a moment her eyes wandered over to him. "Oh, Johnny.." she whispered, her eyes filling with saddened tears again.

Johnny's head shook a little. "Please..." he said in a soft breath. Sue almost hadn't heard him. "Please don't..." his voice was a little louder, but still held the same heartbreak it had before. His eyes, which held hardly any light anymore, stared forward as a single tear fled from them. This wasn't what he wanted to do. He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to be a victim. He always held it in, but maybe, just maybe it was okay for just this once. "Sue," his voice choked, breathing heavy. "I can't see. I can't see Sue. I can't.." he broke, letting out a sob.

Sue caught him immediately. She led him to her. Her arms wrapped around his shaking body, holding his head to her shoulder. "Shhh..." she whispered as a small comfort to him. Her eyes rolled up to the ceiling, her own tears ready to fall. She said a silent prayer to God that he would look after her brother. The sobbing coming from her little brother made her heart shatter into a million pieces. "I got you," she whispered. "I'm right here."

Reed and Ben, who had been checking up, stood in the doorway, watching. They watched as Sue held her sobbing brother in her arms, whispering small comforts to him. Reed's eyes slowly met Ben's. They shared a look of understanding. They closed the door silently behind them. This wasn't right. They have to save Johnny.


End file.
